shayari ilm bhi hai aur fan bhi: Celebrating World Poetry Day

tujhe kaun jāntā thā mirī dostī se pahle

tirā husn kuchh nahīñ thā mirī shā.irī se pahle

tujhe kaun jaanta tha meri dosti se pahle

tera husn kuchh nahin tha meri shairi se pahle

maiñ suḳhan meñ huuñ us jagah ki jahāñ

saañs lenā bhī shā.irī hai mujhe

main suKHan mein hun us jagah ki jahan

sans lena bhi shairi hai mujhe

sunā hai us ko bhī hai sher o shā.irī se shaġhaf

so ham bhī mojaze apne hunar ke dekhte haiñ

suna hai us ko bhi hai sher o shairi se shaghaf

so hum bhi mojaze apne hunar ke dekhte hain

jo dikh rahā usī ke andar jo an-dikhā hai vo shā.erī hai

jo kah sakā thā vo kah chukā huuñ jo rah gayā hai vo shā.erī hai

jo dikh raha usi ke andar jo an-dikha hai wo shaeri hai

jo kah saka tha wo kah chuka hun jo rah gaya hai wo shaeri hai

bikhrī zulfoñ ne sikhā.ī mausamoñ ko shā.irī

jhuktī āñkhoñ ne batāyā mai-kashī kyā chiiz hai

bikhri zulfon ne sikhai mausamon ko shairi

jhukti aankhon ne bataya mai-kashi kya chiz hai

ye shā.irī ye kitābeñ ye āyateñ dil kī

nishāniyāñ ye sabhī tujh pe vārnā hoñgī

ye shairi ye kitaben ye aayaten dil ki

nishaniyan ye sabhi tujh pe warna hongi

sher se shā.irī se Darte haiñ

kam-nazar raushnī se Darte haiñ

sher se shairi se Darte hain

kam-nazar raushni se Darte hain

shā.erī hai sarmāyā ḳhush-nasīb logoñ kā

baañs kī har ik Tahnī bāñsurī nahīñ hotī

shaeri hai sarmaya KHush-nasib logon ka

bans ki har ek Tahni bansuri nahin hoti

shā.irī ko mirā iz.hār samajhtā hai magar

parda-e-sher uThānā bhī nahīñ chāhtā hai

shairi ko mera izhaar samajhta hai magar

parda-e-sher uThana bhi nahin chahta hai

duniyā ne zar ke vāste kyā kuchh nahīñ kiyā

aur ham ne shā.erī ke sivā kuchh nahīñ kiyā

duniya ne zar ke waste kya kuchh nahin kiya

aur hum ne shaeri ke siwa kuchh nahin kiya

yahī ham-navā yahī ham-suḳhan yahī ham-nishāñ yahī ham-vatan

mirī shā.irī hī batā.egī mirā naam kyā hai patā hai kyaa?

yahi ham-nawa yahi ham-suKHan yahi ham-nishan yahi ham-watan

meri shairi hi bataegi mera nam kya hai pata hai kya?

shā.irī taaza zamānoñ kī hai me.amār 'farāz'

ye bhī ik silsila-e-kun-fayakūñ hai yuuñ hai

shairi taza zamanon ki hai meamar 'faraaz'

ye bhi ek silsila-e-kun-fayakun hai yun hai

maiñ ne to tasavvur meñ aur aks dekhā thā

fikr muḳhtalif kyuuñ hai shā.erī ke paikar meñ

main ne to tasawwur mein aur aks dekha tha

fikr muKHtalif kyun hai shaeri ke paikar mein

shā.erī pahle rasūloñ kī duā thī 'qaisar'

aaj is ahd meñ ik sho.abda-e-zāt huī

shaeri pahle rasulon ki dua thi 'qaisar'

aaj is ahd mein ek shoabda-e-zat hui

mire añg añg meñ bas ga.ī

ye jo shā.irī hai ye kaun hai

mere ang ang mein bas gai

ye jo shairi hai ye kaun hai

jis ne mah-pāroñ ke dil pighlā diye

vo to merī shā.erī thī maiñ na thā

jis ne mah-paron ke dil pighla diye

wo to meri shaeri thi main na tha

vo guftugū jo mirī sirf apne-āp se thī

tirī nigāh ko pahuñchī to shā.irī huī hai

wo guftugu jo meri sirf apne-ap se thi

teri nigah ko pahunchi to shairi hui hai

hamāre paas yahī shā.irī kā sikka hai

ulaT-palaT ke isī ko chalānā paḌtā hai

hamare pas yahi shairi ka sikka hai

ulaT-palaT ke isi ko chalana paDta hai

kyā patā ho bhī sake is kī talāfī ki nahīñ

shā.erī tujh ko gañvāyā hai bahut din ham ne

kya pata ho bhi sake is ki talafi ki nahin

shaeri tujh ko ganwaya hai bahut din hum ne

zabān-e-dil se koī shā.irī sunātā hai

to sāma.īn bhulāte nahīñ kalām us kā

zaban-e-dil se koi shairi sunata hai

to samain bhulate nahin kalam us ka